Multiple die cutter



Sept. 16, 1952 R. P. BAGDIGIAN MULTIPLE DIE CUTTER Filed Jan. 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F ig,

Sept. 16, 1952 R. P. BAGDIGIAN MULTIPLE DIE .CUTTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1951 Fig. 2

Ralph l? Boyd/'gian JNVENToR.

Sept. 16, 1952 R. P. BAGDIGIAN 2,610,684

MULTIPLE DIE CUTTER Filed Jan. 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ffg. 3 /34 IN VEN TOR.

BY f 02 94 /ap 4 /00 2 Ralph Bagdigian Sept. .16, 1952 R. P. BAGDIGI'AN K 2,610,684

MULTIPLE DIE' CUTTER Filed Jan. '9, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 j Ralph l? Bagdg/ah INVENTOIL Patented Sept. 16, 1952 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIULTIPLE DIE CUTTER Ralph?. Bagdigian, Somerville, Mass. Application January 9, 1951, Serial No. 205,169 s claims. (ci. 164-23 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cutting machines and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine for cutting various sizes of greeting cards and the like from sheets of material.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a multiple die cutter including a reciprocating cutter support having cutter dies thereon that will out sheets of material to the shape of the dies.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cutting machine that will reduce considerably the time, labor and apparatus required for cutting various sized cards from sheet material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple die cutter involving a cutter support and a novel and improved actuating mechanism for reciprocating the support relative to a table top on which is placed the material to be cut. i

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a multiple die cutter ythat is extremely efficient and reliable in operation, strong and durable in use, simple to operate, inexpensive to manufacture, install, and service, and otherwise well adapted forthe purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of Figurel and with parts broken away and shown'in section for the convenience of explanation;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the cutter support in its lowered position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure y6 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 6--6 of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is an inverted perspective View of the cutter supporting panel used in the invention and with the multiple dies thereon; v

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional vew taken substantially on the plane of section line B-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the automatic control of the electric motor by the drive shaft for the die plate. n

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figures 1-9 inclusive, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l0 represents a frame includ-i ing supporting legs l2, side walls I4 and a table top I6.

The table top I6 slidably supports a pair of relatively right angular guides or abutments la and 20 having depending portions 22` and 24 that are provided with internally threaded horizontal aperturesfthat rece'vab'ly engage operating screws 26 and 28.` The screws 26 and '28 are disposed at right angles to each other andare rotatably supported in a'suitable number of 'bear ings 30 onthe undersurface of the table top. Crank handles 32 and 34 are attached to one end of the rods whereby the rods may be manually actuated.

Guide means in the form of two blocks 36 are mounted on the frame and rise from the table top. The blocks 36 oppose each other and their inner faces are formed with U\shaped, toothed, guide tracks, each of which includesa pair of toothed vertical portions 38 and a concaved toothed portion 40 joining the lower ends horizontal platform 46 that underlies rvthev table f top i6 and a plurality of vertical bars '48 slid-y ably received in vertical sleeves 49 and whose upper and lower threaded ends 50 and v52 project through apertures in the panel 44 and the platform 46. The upper ends 50 each receive apair of nuts 54 between which the panel 44 is clamped and the ends 52 each receive a pair of ynuts 56 between which the platform 46 is clamped.

A plurality `of multi-side open bottomed dies or cutters 58 are suitably secured to the under surface of the panel 44. 'I'he dies 58 are of various sizes and/or shapes and the lower edgesfoftheir walls are beveled or sharpened to penetrate la material placed on the table top. A resilient, preferably rubber, pad or cushioning element 60 is suitably secured in each die 58 tending to prevent the accumulation of material in the dies.

A pair of bearing units 62 are mounted on the panel 44 and include horizontal slots 64 that kare covered by plates 66. The plates 66 are removably secured to the blocks or units 62 by fasteners 68. A plurality of roller bearings 'I0 are suitably mounted in each of the slots 64 and slidably and rotatably support the ends of a driven shaft 12. Gears 14 are mounted on the ends of the shaft 12 and track along the toothed portions 38, 40 of the U-shaped guide tracks in the blocks 36.

The shaft 12 supports sprockets 16 adjacent the gears 14 that are received in recess 18 in the inner faces of the blocks 36. The sprockets 16 are connected to additional sprockets 80 on the ends of another shaft 82 by sprocket chains 84. Bearings 86 on the platform 46 rotatably support the shaft 82 and an electric motor 88, mounted on the platform 46 is operatively connected to the shaft 82 by a drive connection 90.

The blocks 36 are provided with horizontal recesses 92 in their inner faces that slidably receive latch members 94 having laterally projecting cam surfaced lugs 96. urged outwardly through openings in cover plates 98 that are removably secured to the blocks 36, by coil springs that embrace studs |02 carried by the members 94. The springs |00 are received in seats |04 `in the inner walls of the recesses 92 to urge the members 94 against the plates 98 and the lugs 96 through the openings in the plates 98.

A pair of spaced parallel rock shafts |06 and |08 are rotatably supported on the frame |0 beneath the platform 46 and support laterally projecting arms H0 and H2 that are connected by a link H4 whose ends are pivoted to the arms to permit simultaneous rotation of the rock shafts as a pedal H6 secured to shaft |06 is depressed.

Additional arms H8 and |20 are fixed to and project laterally from the rock shafts |06 and |08. The lower ends of pairs of cables |22 and |24 are secured to the arms H8, |20 and the upper ends of the cables |22, |24 extend upwardly through passages |26 in the blocks 36, over pulleys |28 mounted in the recesses 92 and are attached to the members 94 so that the lugs 96 may be moved into the recesses 92 as the pedal |6 is pressed downwardly.

As the cutter support 42 is raised, the panel 44 will ride upwardly against the cam surfaced lugs 96 to urge the members 94 well into the recesses 92 until the panel 44 has cleared the lugs 96 whereupon the springs |00 will urge the lugs 96 under the panel 44 toV support the panel 44 and the entire cutter support raised until the pedal |6 is depressed.

The motor 88 is of the reversible type and is electrically connected to two switches |30 and |32 in a switch box |34 mounted on one of the blocks 36. The switches |30 and |32 are connected by a horizontally slidable actuator rod |36 that extends across the portions 38 of one guide block 36 and which supports a pair of cams |38 and |40. The rod |36 is shifted by one end of the shaft 12 selectively engaging the cams |38 and |40 to make one of the switches |30, |32 and break the other of the switches.

Another switch |42 is mounted in one of the recesses 92 and includes a spring urged plunger |44 that will be actuated to complete the circuit to the motor as the member 94 in the said one recess 92 is moved by a depression of the pedal H6. A master switch |46 for the motor 88 is mounted on the table top I6.

In practical use of the present invention, the cutter support is normally held raised by the latch members 94 and the circuit to the motor 88 is open. After a stack of paper stock S is The lugs 96 are 4 placed on the table top I6, the cranks 32 and 34 are adjusted to center the stock S on the table top.

Then, the pedal I6 is depressed and the switch |46 actuated manually, whereupon the latch members 94 release the support 42 and the switch |42 is closed to start the motor 88 and drive the shaft 12. The gears 14 first ride down one of the vertical portions 38 of each U-shaped guide, around the portions 40 and up the other portion 38 of each U-shaped guide track. When the panel 44 is lowered against the stock S the cutters 58 perform their cutting action and the shaft slides across the slots 64 to permit raising of the cutter support.

After the shaft 'I2 has traveled both vertical portions 38 and the curved portions 40 of each U-shaped guide track, the shaft 12 will engage the cam 38 to shift the rod 36 to close the switch |30, thereby reversing the motor 88 and causing the shaft to retract over the portions 38 and 40. Thus, the cutter support is reciprocated to cut various shapes of cards from the stock S.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A drive means for a movable panel comprising a frame including a table top, a movable panel slidably carried by said frame for movement toward and away from said table top, a pair of U-shaped guide tracks xedly mounted on the frame and having toothed surfaces around their Whole length, a horizontally slidable shaft rotatably and slidably mounted on said panel, a pair of gears on said shaft engaging said tracks for the entire perimeter of said tracks, and power means on said panel and operatively connected to the shaft.

2. A drive means for a movable panel comprising a frame including a table top, a panel movable toward and away from said table top, a platform and a plurality of hanger rods securing the panel to the platform, said table top slidably receiving said rods, a pair of U-shaped, toothed, guide tracks fixed to and rising from the table top, said tracks being toothed around their entire perimeter, bearings on said panel having horizontal slots therein, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted in said slots, a pair of gears on said shaft engaging the toothed guide tracks around the entire extent of said tracks, and power means supported on said platform and connected to said shaft.

3. A drive means for a movable panel comprising a frame including a table top', a panel movable toward and away from the table top, a platform and a plurality of hanger rods securing the panel to the platform, said table top slidably receiving said rods, a pair of U-shaped, toothed, guide tracks rising from the table top and being toothed around their entire perimeter, bearings on said panel having horizontal slots therein, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted in said slots, a pair of gears on said shaft engaging the toothed guide tracks along the entire extent of said tracks, each of said guide tracks including a pair of spaced parallel vertical toothed portions and a concaved toothed portion joining the lower ends of said vertical portions, said slots being suflciently long as to permit the shaft to shift from one vertical portion of each guide track to the other vertical portion of each guide track as the gears move along the concaved toothed portions of said guide tracks, and power means supported on the platform and operatively connected to said shaft for rotating the shaft.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said power means includes a second shaft rotatably mounted on the platform and paralleling the first named shaft, sprockets on said shafts, and an endless sprocket chain joining the sprockets of both shafts, the long axes of said slots paralleling the second shaft and the longitudinal axis of the second shaft lying in a vertical plane passing through the horizontal slots medially the ends of the slots to retain the chain relatively taut throughout raising and lowering of said support.

5. The combination of claim 3 and a pair of cam surfaced latch members slidably carried by said frame for movement toward and away from each other and normally supporting the panel raised from the table top, manually actuated means connected to said latch member for moving the latch members away from the panel to permit lowering of the support, said panel riding against and over the cam surfaced latch members during raising of the support, and spring means urging the latch members toward each other and toward the panel.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said power means includes a-n electric motor, and switch means for the motor actuated by said latch members as the latch members are moved away from the panel to release the latter.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said motor is a reversible motor, areversible switch for 6 U-shaped guide tracks mounted on the frame, each of said guide tracks including a pair of vertical toothed portions and a concaved toothed portion joining the lower ends of the vertical portions, a panel overlying the table top, a platform underlying the table top and a plurality of vertical rods slidably carried by the table top and terminally secured to said panel and said platform, a shaft slidable and rotatably mounted on the panel, gears on said shaft engaging said guide tracks throughout the entire extent of said tracks, electrical power means on said platform and connected to said shaft for rotating the latter, latch means carried by said frame engaging the panel to retain the support raised, and'means on said frame and connected to said latch means for actuating the latch means to release the panel, and switch means on said frame actuated to a circuit closing position by said latch means, said switch being connected to said electrical power means RALPH P. BAGDIGIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

the motor, and means on the frame actuated by y prising a frame including a table top, a pair of UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date A 325,037 Abbott et al. Aug. 25, 1885 558,864 Van Osta Apr. 21, 1896 1,251,740 Benson Jan. 1, 1918 1,379,420 Sawyer May 24, 1921 2,214,665 Elf Sept. 10, 1940 2,259,320 Novick Oct. 14, 1941 

